


A Present for Akko

by SailorPortia



Series: A Present for... Series [2]
Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Awkwardness, Birthday Fluff, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Lowkey Charoix?, Lowkey Hannah/Barbara, vague sexual references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-28 18:32:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15055214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorPortia/pseuds/SailorPortia
Summary: Akko and Diana have been dating for a while now, but they haven't even kissed yet. Both lovable dorks are awkward as hell about it: can Akko's birthday give them an excuse to make to first base?Sequel to A "Present for Diana"





	A Present for Akko

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to everyone whose been reading my fics, giving kudos, and leaving comments! If you spot a typo, please point it out so I can fix it and feel very embarrassed about it.
> 
> I have something else in the works, so if this kind of nonsense is your jam, you're in luck

“YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!?”

“Not so loud! I’m embarrassed about this enough already!”

Akko sat in the Red Team’s dorm, surrounded by three girls she’d _thought_ were her friends. Amanda lay half-on, half-off Akko’s bunk, hanging upside-down and laughing uproariously. Sucy sat on her own bed cackling into her hand in a rare show of restraint. Lotte was at her desk, looking at Akko in patronizing, pitying way that was somehow worse than the others’ reactions.

“I came to you guys because I trust you, and now you’re making fun of me,” Akko said, pouting up a storm. This would be the last time she asked her friends for relationship advice.

“What are we supposed to do when you tell us you haven’t kissed your girlfriend yet?” Amanda choked out, wiping tears from her eyes. “How long have you been dating? Like a month and a half?”

“It’s perfectly normal!” Akko said confidently. “Probably!” Maybe not so confidently. “It’s not like it’s a problem that we haven’t kissed or anything, but I was kinda hoping it would happen eventually, y’know.”

Sucy stopped cackling, her face suddenly serious. “Diana’s crazy for you. If she hasn’t kissed you yet it must be for a reason. Like that you totally have bad breath. Don’t worry though, I just so happen to have a breath-freshening potion I was hoping to test out…” She produced a sinister-looking vial of some ungodly fluid of an unidentifiable colour.

“No thanks, I’d rather eat faerie poop.”

Lotte sighed happily. “I think it’s precious that you two are going so slow. Belle and Edgar didn’t have their first kiss until _Nightfall_ volume 108, so there’s no need to rush. All the best fanfiction is slow-burn anyway.”

“I don’t want a slow-burn! I just want to kiss my girlfriend but I’m too awkward to get it done!”

“If you’re worried about doing it wrong, you can practice with me,” Amanda joked, making kissy faces as she brought her body upright, displaying the strength of her stunningly powerful abs. Show off.

Akko shoved Amanda’s legs off her bed, causing the mischievous witch to tumble over the side and hit her head on the floor. She ignored Amanda’s cursing and concentrated on her own problems. It’d been a foolish idea to expect any help from Amanda or Sucy, but she’d hoped that Lotte would offer her an answer to the problem that’d been hounding her for weeks. Why hadn’t she and Diana kissed yet?

A month and a half ago, the morning after Diana’s birthday, Akko had been elated to learn that Diana had feelings for her. The heiress’s confession allowed her to admit her own feelings, They spent the next few hours snuggling together and flirting, but things didn’t go any farther than that. Of course, what they could’ve gotten up to was limited, given that Hannah and Barbara were still in the room. Akko and Diana owed the pair a debt for setting them up together, but they weren’t about to treat the girls to that kind of show. Ignoring the anticlimax, they climbed out of bed and left the room as girlfriends, walking hand in hand.

From then on the couple spent almost all their time holding hands, fingers intertwined as tightly as the fabric of the universe. Whenever possible they sat together in class, leaning against each other as they took notes, gazing at each other longingly when team structures meant they couldn’t work together. They were so absorbed by each other, caught up in their own little world, that they didn’t even notice Amanda’s teasing comments and Sucy’s pretend retching. Diana even learned a cooling spell to fight off the rising heat of summer that would’ve made their constant cuddling unfeasible.

But again, things didn’t go any farther than that.

It wasn’t that Akko didn’t feel the urge to kiss her girlfriend. On the contrary, lately it had become all she could think of when they were in each other’s company. Every time they huddled together, pressing up against each other as close as possible, it was difficult to ignore how near their faces became. The slightest turn of her head, just the smallest movement would close the distance between their lips and they would be kissing. It drove Akko wild to think that nothing more than an accidental jerk of the head was separating her from a major relationship milestone, the first kiss with her girlfriend. What tortured her more than anything was eternal question: was Diana having the same thoughts she was?

She knew she really ought to ask and get it over with. It wasn’t even that she was worried about possibly being turned down — it was that it never seemed like the right time. For one thing they were rarely alone. Most of their time together was shared with either their friends or an entire class of students, and even Akko knew better than to try to make out with her girlfriend in the middle of Magic Linguistics (though it would be worth just to see the look on Finnelan’s face). They had gone on a few dates in their free time, but even then Akko couldn’t compel herself to make a move, anxiety gripping her like a gryphon’s claw and holding her back with the refrain “is this the right time?”

Lotte spoke up. “Quite frankly, Akko, we all figured you’d had your first kiss ages ago. Th-there’s nothing wrong that you haven’t,” she added hurriedly. “It’s just — you always seemed so comfortable with each other that it seemed natural.”

“Some of us had taken bets that you’d snuck off and gotten a little farther than first base,” Sucy said with a lewd smile. “Speaking of which, somebody owes me fifty pounds.”

There was a groan from the floor. “I’ll pay you later, swamp witch.”

“You still owe from the time we bet on how long it’d take Akko and Diana to go steady.”

Another groan from the floor.

“I’m sooooo glad you two see my relationship with Diana as a money making opportunity.”

Amanda sat up, rubbing the back of her head. “Your birthday’s coming up. Can’t you just request a kiss for a present? Problem solved!”

“But that’s not romantic! I want our first kiss to mean something. Besides, I don’t want to pressure her or anything.” Akko was aware there may be a reason that Diana hadn’t made the first move, either for similar to reasons to Akko or because of her own personal demons.

“Is it like an aristocrat thing not to kiss early on in a relationship?” Akko asked. Her experience at the Cavendish Manor had shown that she had no concept of how people in Diana’s corner of the world expected others to behave.

“Maybe you’re supposed to kiss her on the hand first?” Lotte suggested, eyes sparkling at the thought of chivalrous displays. “In _Nightfall_ volume 37…”

“Who cares about all that fancy-pants stuff,” Amanda jeered. “How about this, next time you see her, sweep her off her feet and ask if you can plant a smooch on her. If you don’t make a move soon, the first time you’ll kiss will be after saying ‘I do’.”

Lotte swooned at the mention of marriage; Sucy cackled at the idea.

“You three are impossible!” Akko grumbled. She launched herself off the bed and headed for the door. “I’m going to go spend some time with Diana. Have fun by yourselves, you girlfriend-less losers.” The door opened and the girls caught a glimpse of her tongue stuck out in their direction before she slammed the door shut.

Amanda waited a moment before asking, “So much you wanna bet it takes at least another month before those dorks suck face?”

Sucy snorted. “Sixty pounds says they’ll get it over and done with before Akko’s birthday is over. Guaranteed.”

Amanda whistled. “Bold stance there, Sucy. I’ll take that bet. That’s only a few days away. This is a shoe-in!” She dearly hoped so, seeing as she’d actually be able to pay off her debts to Sucy if she won this bet.

“Don’t be so sure,” the potion mistress said confidently. “Akko’s a screw up, but there’s no way Diana is this worried about a little kiss.”

*******

“Diana, I can’t see why you’re so worried about a little kiss.”

Hannah and Barbara had been fussing over Diana for the last twenty minutes. They heard Diana sigh tiredly and asked what was wrong. Her evasive answers provoked an unrelenting interrogation from her roommates until the truth came out: she and Akko hadn’t kissed yet and Diana didn’t know what to do about it. Hannah and Barbara demanded they discuss the matter over tea so they could offer their advice. But Diana was obstinate and they had made little progress.

“I have no experience with such matters, as you well know,” Diana said curtly. She had never entertained the idea of being courted before Akko; she had become notorious among Britain’s aristocracy after a momentary loss of decorum resulting in her turning a rather persistent boy into a newt. After that only the bravest of individuals would approach her, but even they fled at the sight of her wand gripped in a taught and impatient fist. Her utter disinterest in romance had rendered her oblivious to the relevant customs and now she found herself paralyzed at the thought of making a fool of herself in front of her beloved.

“It’s no big deal,” Hannah said. “Babs and I kissed at the end of our first date. We just kind of leaned in to each other and —” Hannah made an exaggerated ‘mwah’ sound “— that was that. No problem.” Hannah would never forget their first date, how nervous she’d felt, how happy she’d been to finally be dating her best friend and long-time crush. Even if the date had only been a trip to the bookstore to pick up the new _Nightfall_ book, which Hannah suggested as a way of sweetening the deal. She needn’t have worried, as she’d learned that Barbara had been just as enthused about dating her as she was. They bought the book and read it together, sitting on a park bench side-by-side with the volume spread across their laps. Despite Barbara’s verbal annotations providing constant explanations and backstories, Hannah had no earthly idea what was going on in the story, but it sounded good when Barbara read it out. Gradually their faces were drawn closer and closer, inevitable as the pull of gravity, and when they chanced upon a kissing scene, Hannah pressed her lips to Barbara's just as they voiced the relevant verb, as if it were an instruction.

Diana was intimately familiar with this aspect of their story due to charming, yet incessant gushing that it was the single most romantic experience anyone on earth had ever or will ever have. “Edgar and Arthur have nothing on Hannah,” Barbara told her on the tenth recounting of the date. The heiress wasn’t prone to envy, but she sorely wished she could similar for Akko. But it was beyond even her faculties to conceive of a gesture to rival that. Hannah herself admitted that the action had been spontaneous, spurred on by Barbara’s participation as well, but Diana was reluctant to leave anything to chance if she were to make romantic overtures to Akko. Akko deserved the best, after all.

“It’s fine if your relationship doesn’t take the same path as ours,” Barbara reassured her. “You don’t have to do things that you don’t want to do. But if you feel a certain way, you don’t need to hold back.”

If only it were that easy for Diana. She had spent the better part of her life denying rather than indulging her urges for the sake of the House of Cavendish. She had suppressed so many feelings, her adoration for Shiny Chariot, her love for Akko, that she found it difficult to act on impulse. Curse her proper breeding, why couldn’t she be as free-spirited and unrestrained as her girlfriend?

“I want to kiss her,” Diana began, ignoring the blush creeping into her cheeks, “but how can I know if she wants me to kiss her?” She was terrified at the thought of making Akko uncomfortable, reeling away from her, face contorted in disgust.

“I mean, you could always ask if you’re not sure,” Hannah said. “Good rule of thumb, really.”

Diana contemplated the suggestion. She imagined walking up to Akko, clasping her girlfriend’s hands in her own, staring deep into those energetic, crimson eyes of hers and asking, “Akko, may I kiss you?”

She dismissed the image with a shake of her head, blush intensifying. “That seems rather forward.”

“Like, it would be a bit more forward to kiss her without asking, though,” Barbara said.

“Then what am I supposed to do?” Diana crossed her arms and frowned. For all their bluster, her roommates had yet to supply her with a solution to her conundrum.

“You could always wait for Akko to kiss you,” Hannah said with a shrug.

“What are you talking about, babe?” Barbara objected. “Diana’s the one who should initiate the first kiss. It’s more in her character than Akko’s.”

“Sweetheart, I love you, but I have no idea what you’re talking about. Akko’s the go-getter of the two. She’s been chasing Diana’s tail for ages. For Jennifer’s sake, she followed Diana home when even we didn’t — she’s like a lost puppy. Akko’s totally got to be the one to go for it.”

“That may be true, but remember Diana’s birthday? Diana definitely went for it, using the ribbon as an excuse to snuggle up to her crush. She went all in and you know it. Diana’s definitely wearing the pants in the relationship.”

Diana didn’t bother pointing out that both she and Akko wore skirts every day, not a pair of pants to be seen. The closest either got to them wearing pants was those little red shorts that Akko wore when she slept, and… Diana’s train of thought derailed after that.

She resurfaced from her disaster zone of a mind to hear her roommate’s conversation had deteriorated as well.

“Akko’s the top!” Hannah shouted.

“Diana’s the top!” Barbara shot back.

Diana cleared her throat, silencing her friends. “I can see that this discussion is going nowhere. If neither of you have any constructive advice to offer, I must be getting to work on my present for Akko.” She had been looking forward to Akko’s birthday even before they started dating. She’d wanted a chance — or an excuse, rather — to do something nice for Akko to make up for the time before they became friends. Now she had twice the desire to do it right. Thankfully, she had devised the perfect present for her girlfriend. If only every problem was so easy to solve.

“Is it a kiss?” Barbara teased, prompting a snort of laughter from Hannah.

“The gift I’ve chosen is a little more involved that that,” Diana said shortly, taking a sip of her tea. Big mistake.

“Oh my, Diana. That _is_ very forward of you,” Hannah said suggestively.

A spray of tea shot out of Diana’s mouth. She could almost die from the embarrassment. She couldn’t tell what was worse: her crass breach of a life of perfect etiquette, or what had prompted it.

“Now, really,” Diana sighed, dabbing at her mouth and chin with a napkin. “If you keep speaking like that you’ll be barred from high society parties for the rest of your lives.”

“We’ll live,” Hannah joked. “The only social function on our radar is Akko’s birthday bash.”

“What should we get Akko for her birthday?” Barbara asked Hannah.

“I think I heard about a spell that sticks causes a person’s lips to be magnetically attracted to another person’s,” Hannah said slyly. The girls smirked at Diana, awaiting a reaction. 

Diana pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. “You girls are impossible.”

Hannah and Barbara were saved a response by a knock on the door. A hurried staccato that could only belong to one person.

“Your girlfriend is here,” Hannah crooned.

“Come on in, Akko,” Barbara called.

The door opened, revealing none other than Atsuko Kagari herself, smiling brightly as the sun.

“Hi, Hannah. Hi, Barbara.” Her voice softened, “Hey, Diana.”

“Hello, Akko,” Diana said, returning her tenderness. “What can I do for my favourite witch?”

Akko shuffled nervously, eyes flicking downward to her feet. “I was going to ask if you wanted to go for a walk with me, but I can see you’re busy.”

Hannah and Barbara each extended a hand toward Akko and bowed as best as they could while sitting. “We relinquish her to you in recognition of your superior claim to her time, Dame Akko,” Barbara said melodramatically.

“Just have her back by curfew, tiger,” Hannah quipped.

“Please ignore my roommates,” Diana said as she stood up and walked to her girlfriend’s side. “They’ve been stricken with an affliction of acute self-amusement.”

“Are you sure it’s okay?” Akko asked. “I don’t want to interrupt your tea time.”

Diana reached for Akko’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t give it a second second thought. The tea, um, didn’t agree with me anyway.” She ignored the tittering from Hannah and Barbara as she led Akko out of the room and close the door on them.

The couple set out on their walk, traversing the Luna Nova grounds, kept firmly within the boundaries by Diana’s nagging, though Akko persuaded her to go to the northern ruins so they could pay Arcas a visit. Diana was forced to relent; she couldn’t resist Akko when she begged for something like an excitable puppy.

As they walked hand in hand, Diana’s mind lingered on her conversation with Hannah and Barbara. She wondered if this was an appropriate situation to kiss her girlfriend. Though Akko seemed to be enjoying herself, and they were without an audience for once, there was nothing particularly special about the occasion. She was supposed to make it special, was she not? If only Luna Nova offered a course on courtship rituals.

Akko was oblivious to the hurricane of anxiety spinning in her girlfriend’s head, mostly because of the thunderstorm of restlessness occupying her own. She felt electrified, surging with energy she could barely contain. It was all she could do to keep herself from dragging Diana behind her like a large dog that had overpowered its owner. She loved spending time with Diana, and the freedom of spending time with her alone was getting to her head. They had no classes today, so they could do whatever they liked. Maybe they could turn this outing into a proper date. Maybe they would even...

With a jolt, Akko realized the perfect progression for their maybe-date. “Do you want to go to the observation tower?” she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Diana giggled. She couldn’t see why Akko was so excited, but she was loathe to put an end to it. “Certainly, darling. Lead the way, if you will.” Technically the observation tower was out of bounds, but such things slipped one’s mind every once in a while, did they not?

They made their way to the tower, climbed its heights, and sat down at the edge of the platform, their legs hanging in the open air.

“You’ll have to calm down now, Akko,” Diana purred into her ear like a cat. “It wouldn’t do if you fell from this height. I’d have a dreadful time finding another girlfriend as lovely as you.”

Akko blushed at the blatant flattery, wondering how she was supposed to calm her nerves when Diana did things like this. “I’m not worried. I know you’d never let me fall. You’d catch me.”

Diana smiled. Naturally, she could magic up a rescue in a second, but she’d rather flirt in the disguise of concern. “Be that as it may, Akko, a near-death experience would ruin the mood.”

“Would it though? It’s a surefire way to get your heart racing.” Akko winked a smiled her corniest smile.

Diana sighed, feigning frustration to cover her amusement. “What am I going to do with you?”

 _I can think of a few things,_ Akko thought mischievously.

The two had let go of each other in order to set themselves down on the platform’s edge as safely as possible. As Diana reached for her to resume their hand-holding, Akko was struck by another bolt of inspiration. Just as Diana’s fingers touched her, she yanked her hand away.

Diana’s face fell, perplexed at Akko’s action until she saw the impish look on her face. She tried once more to grab Akko’s hand, but her girlfriend evaded again, smiling ever more smugly.

“So that’s how’s it’s going to be,” Diana said, voice heavy with determination. She snatched at Akko’s hand again and again like a cat swatting at a mouse. Akko egged her on by laughing and teasing after every failed attempt, Diana smiling ironically at every turn.

At last she outmatched Akko and clutched her hand tightly. “You aren’t getting away from me now, A-tsu-ko.” Her voice was positively dripping with satisfaction, her eyes glinted with excitement.

“Why would I want to,” Akko said softly, dwelling on the pressure of Diana’s iron grip on her hand. She’d teased Diana in the hopes of provoking a reaction from her, and she got just what she bargained for. Their faces were close together, and their breath was heavy with exertion, mixed in with amused chuckles. Diana was looking at Akko as if she’d just won a prize — in a cute, romantic way, not a toxic, possessive way. Akko was suddenly reminded of her unfulfilled desire to kiss her girlfriend.

The same thing had occurred to Diana. With her free hand, she stroked Akko’s hair. “Akko, I don’t suppose…” Her voice caught in her throat. Why did she freeze now of all times? Where was all that aristocrat confidence she’d been associated with for so long? Where was that famed Cavendish affection when she needed it?

Akko, sensing her chance, spoke up. “Diana, do you want to…” Her voice trailed off. Was this the right time? It felt like the right time. That’s what Diana was going to say, right? Akko wanted to pull her hair out. Why was this romance junk so hard!?

Diana and Akko looked at each other and laughed, neither knowing what to say. They stared deeply into each other’s eyes and lost themselves to that pregnant paused. Their silence crossed a threshold where it was impossible for either of them to deny what was about to happen. They smiled, Diana cupped Akko’s cheek in her hand, the couple leaned in slowly, their eyelids slowly slid shut in anticipation…

Out of the corner of their eyes they saw an unidentified object fly past them at dangerous speed. They broke away, alarmed at the sight. 

“What was that?” Akko squeaked, disoriented and disappointed at the development.

“I don’t know, Akko,” Diana said sourly, cursing her luck. She spotted a crowd forming around where the thing had landed. Something had either flown or fallen onto Luna Nova grounds and they needed to investigate. Kissing could wait. Unfortunately.

Diana cleared her throat. “As responsible students, we have no choice but to examine the interloping object and ascertain whether or not it is a threat, and contain it if it is.” In past days she might’ve recommended fetching a professor, but she knew full well that she and Akko could handle just as much, if not more than, their teachers.

“Alright,” Akko said, nodding. They got up and descended the tower, leaving behind the magical moment they’d almost shared.

*******

Though she had better self-control than to show it, Diana was the most furious she’d ever been. She let herself be distracted from kissing Akko for _this_!?

“Hey, kids. How’re my favourite ex-students?”

The object which had flown by Akko and Diana had been a magitronic roomba and its rider, ex-Professor Croix Meridies. The crowd had parted to admit them, and then dispersed once it was clear that the disgraced former teacher was here to see them.

“Hi, Croix!” Akko greeted cheerily, all grievances apparently forgotten. “I thought you were still in jail.”

“Oh, that.” Croix waved nonchalantly. “I got out of there ages ago. They even let me work on my magitronics again.”

“Remind me to write the witch authorities a stern letter,” Diana said dryly. Unlike Akko, she had no intention of forgiving Croix for her attempts to harm her then not-yet-girlfriend.

“I see that you haven’t loosened up in the time I’ve been gone,” Croix quipped. “No need to be a stick in the mud.” She turned her attention to Akko. “I’ve been hard at work on some new prototypes, and I just so happen to have a finished product—” she elbowed Akko jauntily “— just in time for _somebody’s_ birthday.” A second magitronic roomba descended from the sky and landed next to Akko. This model was sleek, but sturdy-looking; its exterior was styled after the Shiny Rod, complete with seven glowing gems embedded in its chassis.

“Wow!” Akko shouted, throwing her arms around Croix in a surprise hug. “You’re a couple days early, but thanks! It looks awesome!”

“It doesn’t just look awesome, kid. She’s top of the line, stuffed full of charms and enchantments to prevent harm coming to the rider. You could fly this baby upside-down and not fall off. I figured you could use all the help you could get,” she joked.

“Oi!” Akko said with a laugh.

“Why don’t you try her out?” Croix suggested. “Actually, could you do me a favour? Could you tell Chariot that I’m here? I have a feeling she’ll be more agreeable to hearing I’m visiting if she hears it from you.” Apparently she wasn’t confident her childhood friend had totally forgiven her. _How sad,_ Diana thought smugly.

“Roger that,” Akko said. She hopped on the Shiny Roomba. “I’ll be right back, Diana.” Akko had used a magitronic roomba before, so she had no trouble handling this new and improved model. She zoomed off in the direction of Ursula’s tower, leaving Diana alone with her new worst enemy.

“So,” Diana began sharply. “Worried that your girlfriend doesn’t want to see you after your stint in prison?”

Croix spluttered. “Ch-Chariot’s not my girlfriend!”

“Not any more, clearly.”

“No! I mean, she wasn’t ever my girlfriend.” Croix shrank, twiddling her thumbs. “We were totally going to date, back when we were students, but the whole Claiomh Solais thing got in the way, and then the whole Dream Fuel Spirit thing, and then we were kind of enemies last year when I was trying to get the Grand Triskelion…” Croix petered off, realizing how bad all that sounded.

Diana raised an eyebrow. “You mean you never dated her because you were too much of an arse?”

“Hey, watch that filthy mouth, Cavendish,” Croix snapped. “You’re gonna get put in aristocrat jail if they hear that. And why am I justifying myself to you? So what if I don’t have a girlfriend? It’s not like you’re in any position to talk!”

“Oh, aren’t I?” Diana smirked. House Cavendish’s motto may have been “affection,” but damned if she wasn’t enjoying this. If Croix wanted forgiveness, she’d better be willing to pay for it with humiliation.

“Wait, what?” Croix’s eyes bugged out. “You’ve got a girlfriend? Who?”

“Akko,” Diana purred, inspecting her nails. “You know, the witch who restored magic to the world. I’m dating her.” Diana knew that she could get maximum damage by rubbing salt in that particular wound. When she brought the claws out, she went for the kill.

“Ouch, what did I ever do to you?” Croix asked. “Okay, maybe I threatened your sweetheart’s life a few times. But that’s no reason to be catty.”

Diana rolled her eyes. This woman was incorrigible.

“So far have you two gone?”

“Excuse me!?” Diana was gobsmacked. “I don’t see how that’s appropriate to ask!”

Croix laughed. “Not that far, judging by how easily you get flustered. I bet you two haven’t even kissed yet.”

Diana saw red. Only the knowledge that Croix was a superior witch with years of experience kept her from challenging the woman to a duel. “I’ll have you know that Akko and I were about to kiss when you rode in on your glorified vacuum and interrupted us.”

Croix winced. “Ah. So that’s why you hate me so much. Can’t blame you.” She threw an arm around Diana’s shoulders. “How about I make up to you by giving you some relationship advice?”

“And what exactly could I learn from a perpetually single woman?” Diana sniped.

“I know all the ways not to approach a relationship,” Croix said confidently. “I can tell you everything not to do to make your sweetheart fall for you.” At least she was optimistic about her misfortune.

Diana wasn’t convinced. What did Croix have to offer her. Besides eccentric fashion advice. The blonde witch looked her former professor up and down. She wore the same loud outfit she had last year, the borderline fetish gear aesthetics just as fresh and eye-catching as ever. If she wanted to attract attention, Croix was the person to ask.

“There may be something you can help me with after all.”

*******

Akko knocked on the door to Ursula’s room. Ursula opened the door to admit Akko. She was wearing her red and white tracksuit. “I apologize for my appearance,” Ursula said bashfully. “I’ve sort of been loafing around all day. Come on in, Akko.”

And then she noticed Akko was standing on top of a magitronic roomba. “Akko, what is that?”

“Croix gave it to me for my birthday,” Akko said happily. “She came to visit! Isn’t that great?”

A flurry of emotions raged across Ursula’s face, culminating in her slamming the door shut. The sounds of some commotion could be heard through the door. Ursula reappeared dressed in her proper professor’s uniform, her witch’s hat askew.

“No it’s not great,” Ursula said hurriedly. “She’s not supposed to be here. She’s going to be in trouble if anyone sees her. And get off that thing before it hurts you.”

“Awww,” Akko complained. “There’s nothing wrong with it. I thought you and Croix were cool again? Did something happen?” Akko floated off back toward the grounds where Croix was, leading Ursula along.

“Nothing happened,” Ursula said evasively. That was exactly the problem. She was just a bit miffed at her childhood friend for getting herself thrown in prison just when they finally made up after so many years. Perhaps it wasn’t fair, but she was mad at Croix for not being around. And she was jealous that Croix talked to Akko before her.

“If you miss Croix you can just say so,” Akko said, catching her mentor off guard, nearly tripping her with the unvarnished truth.

“I-I don’t miss her.” Ursula lied so poorly it was astonishing that she’d keep her past identity a secret as long as she had.

“Of course you do,” Akko insisted. “No need to be shy. Now that she’s back you two get together like you’ve always wanted.”

“Who said I wanted to get together with Croix!” Of course Ursula had been hoping last year that she and Croix might set aside their differences and become a couple, but it had been all for nought. She had no desire to play with that fire again so soon after being burned.

“You did, with that big neon sign that says so,” Akko said. “Oh wait, that’s your face!” Indeed, her mentor’s face was glowing bright with embarrassment. “C’mon, Ursula. Just ask Croix out on a date. I’m sure she’ll say yes. Then you two can be a couple just like me and Diana!”

What a cruel twist of fate that her students were more successful in love as they were more successful with the Words of Arcturus. “How are you two doing, by the way?” Ursula asked, hoping to deflect attention away from herself.

Thankfully, Akko was easily distracted. “We’re doing awesome! Having a girlfriend is the best, especially one who can help with studying. In fact,” Akko dropped her voice to a whisper, “we almost had our first kiss, but Croix’s arrival ruined it.” She frowned, suddenly realizing why Diana had been so short with the former teacher.

“Don’t worry, Akko. I’m sure you’ll get another chance soon. Diana likes you a lot, you know.” Ursula chuckled. Akko had no idea how fond Diana was of her. The astronomy teacher had been assisting Diana with her birthday present and she knew that Akko would be over the moon for it. In Ursula’s opinion, there was no way Diana would be getting away without a kiss.

*******

Diana was uncharacteristically nervous. She had no right to be, seeing as she’d gotten herself into this mess. There was no one else to blame. Well, except for Croix. She could definitely blame Croix for part of it. But there was nothing that could be done about it now. The show must go on, as they said.

She had worked as hard as she ever had these past few days, practicing with Ursula, labouring under Croix’s supervision. She knew perfection was always unattainable, but she strove to get as close as possible, and she had done pretty damn well, if she said so herself. All she had to do now was not throw all that hard work away by giving into her nerves.

It was the night of Akko’s birthday. The party had passed in a blur. She couldn’t say what Akko had received if asked. Her mind was constrained to a single track, preparing her own present. She had snuck away during a party game in order to prepare, depending on Professor Ursula to get Akko to show up.

Almost as if on cue, a magical firework shot off into the sky: the signal she and Ursula had agreed upon. Akko was coming. She couldn’t dally any longer. It was show time.

The curtain rose. Diana stood atop an elaborately decorated stage, constructed with magic. Spotlights illuminated her. She stared out into the darkness of the night and found Akko in front of the stage, standing between Ursula and Croix. Akko’s friends congregated behind her. Diana suppressed a frown. She hadn’t planned on this large an audience, but she would have to make do.

Akko couldn’t believe her eyes. She was seeing a reproduction of a Shiny Chariot show, she knew it. When Ursula had told her that Diana was waiting outside to give her her present, Akko was confused. Now she knew why. Diana stood in centre stage, arms outstretched in welcome, wearing, well, quite the outfit. It looked like the halfway point between Shiny Chariot’s costume and Croix’s everyday clothes. She wore a tight corset and tighter pants, with thigh-high boots, all in white. Her arms were bare, but she wore a voluminous, deep blue cloak that she could’ve disappeared into. She sort of looked like she wanted to.

“I helped her with the outfit,” Croix whispered over Akko’s head.

“I can tell,” Ursula said dryly. At least it was a little more appropriate than her own costume. That’s what she got for letting Croix have her way. Good on Diana for resisting Croix’s worst advice.

Diana regretted taking any of Croix’s advice. Akko was gawking at her, which was nice on its own, but they had a bit of an audience. Amanda let out an appreciative whoop and received a smack on the head from Hannah.

Without further ado, Diana began her show. A decade ago she and Akko had watched a Shiny Chariot show, sitting in the same audience. Diana had been enchanted, and Akko had been inspired to become a witch. It was a beautiful, serendipitous connection that had brought them together against all odds, and tonight Diana would honour it as best she could.

She waved her wand at the sky. It shot out multiple plumes of magic, which soared into the distance. They returned and became a colossal flash of light. When the light faded, the stage was inhabited by all manner of animals and magical creatures and inanimate objects brought to life.

Akko recognized a few: a horse with wings, a giant fish hook, various birds, a bear. “They’re constellations!”

Diana had researched astronomy from various cultures to produce the ideal menagerie. The fleshed out asterisms danced and frolicked and flew around her and above the audience. Even as she concentrated on her performance, Diana could see Akko’s overjoyed reaction. Her heart soared, her nervousness forgotten. With newfound confidence, she moved on to the next act.

The star creature images merged together, condensing into a ball of magic that exploded outward in the form of a thousand cherry blossom petals. The petals swirled around and eventually returned to the centre of the stage, just behind Diana, where they formed a giant heart. She blew a kiss to the girl who owned hers.

“Remember, a believing heart is your magic.”

The entire audience clapped — except for Akko. She didn’t move, she only gazed at Diana with rapt attention. Diana briefly wondered if she had blundered, until Akko started climbing onstage.

Akko, who barely knew what she was doing herself, urged herself on the maxim, “This seems like the right time.”

She crossed the stage, threw her arms around Diana’s neck, and kissed her full on the mouth in front of everyone. The audience cheered, though two dissenting voices could be heard: Amanda lamenting losing another bet, and Hannah yelling, “I told you Akko was the top!”

Diana and Akko ignored all of that. Diana put her arms around Akko’s waist and drew her body closer. How odd that she had been feeling so awkward at the thought of kissing her girlfriend, and now she was doing so in front of not just her friends, but her professors too.

Akko, on the other hand, was mentally patting herself on the back. Turns out she was pretty good at this whole romance thing, and judging by how Diana kept kissing her, she was a pretty good kisser too.

Diana and Akko continued their embrace long after the others had gotten embarrassed and left, though the pair didn’t even notice. They were lost in each other, two believing hearts become one.

 

Post-Script

Croix elbowed Ursula. “So do you think they’re gonna do it in that outfit?”

Ursula scoffed. “You’re insufferable, you know that?”

“I know I would. Don’t tell me you never thought about doing it in your old Shiny Chariot outfit?” Croix teased.

“And you exactly would I have been sleeping with, Croix?” Ursula asked, but the answer was right there in the question. The two women blushed intensely and became very interested in their own shoes.


End file.
